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Archive for the ‘shanghai’ Category

I don’t have much match analysis to contribute (erm … do I ever?), especially as I’m watching a replay of the match RIGHT NOW, and it just began.

Anyway, Nikolay Davydenko beat Rafa Nadal 7-6(3), 6-3 to win the Masters 1000 and his 4th ATP title of the year.

From what I’ve seen of the match so far, Nadal didn’t play badly–although he did have the opportunity for a set point in the 1st set–he just couldn’t keep up with Kolya. Kolya was moving well, returning aggressively, and slamming amazing angles cross-court. All I can say is: YOWZA! A well-deserved win for Mr. Davydenko, indeed.

In lieu of any substantive post-match analysis, please just accept these pictures and be thankful that Gaul is coming back soon:

[Note: Fortunately and/or unfortunately for you all, I’ll be posting sporadically while Gaul is on her well-deserved mini-break. Last I heard she was planning on jetsetting over to some mysterious South American country to tend to some tall guy’s right wrist, but … that’s just speculation. –IRRTY]

Whew. Well, a lot happened today. Or yesterday. Or whenever. (I don’t deal too well with this wibbly-wobbly timey-whimey stuff.)

First off: London-hopeful and perpetual under-the-radar-man Nikolay Davydenko beat Radek Stepanek 6-1, 4-6, 6-1. Kolya was able to convert 6 out of 14 break points in his quest to win his 4th ATP title of the year.

If Kolya is able to win on Saturday, he’ll jump 2 spots to No. 7, thus capturing a spot in London in November. Says the always-practical Kolya of this prospect as well as his upcoming semifinal match: “If I win I always have more points, but tomorrow I don’t need think about that. … If I win, is good. If not, bad luck.”

In the next match of the day, Novak Djokovic beat Gilles Simon 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. Evidently there was a bit of this:

Then some of this:

But, in the end, it was this:

In my personal “Wha?!” moment of the day, Feliciano Lopez beat Robin Soderling 7-6(4), 6-3. FeLo did have a 3-2 record against RobSod coming into this match, but I was nevertheless a bit disappointed that RobSod couldn’t pull through. I guess FeLo’s new cropped hair/manicured beard will live to see the camera tennis court another day.

Finally, Rafael Nadal won 6-3, 3-6 against Ivan Ljubicic after Ljuby retired, citing his left hip. A rather unfortunate end for Ljubicic, who had been playing really well in this tournament. Get better soon, old man.

JMDP is going home to seek medical advice and rest his wrist, which apparently bothered him first in Miami earlier this year:

“I had this injury in Miami this year, and I don’t want to risk for the end of the season,” del Potro said. “I’m a little sorry… It’s a big tournament here in Shanghai, very important for me, but if I want to have a good finish this season, I have to recover, go home to be in good shape for the last tournaments. When I feel pain, I need to stop, because maybe it could be dangerous.

“I came here because I want to play here, especially in Shanghai. They made a good work to change the event, and they have an amazing tournament this year. So I would love to win this tournament maybe in the future, but now I have two more tournaments, three more tournaments important in this season. I hope the best for my wrist.”

He plans to be back for Basel. Which, frankly, I could live with him skipping.

Fairly fun day in Shanghai today with the obvious exception of del Potro’s withdrawal (Tommy Haas was also forced to retire after a set against Rainer Schuettler). The first and second seeds, Nadal and Nole, both came through; Rafa winning a thriller against Blake 64 in the third and looking increasingly like his old self, and Nole in fairly routine fashion over Fabio Fognini.

It’ll be Robredo and Schuettler next respectively. Probably the upset of the day was Fernando Verdasco, who really wanted a strong showing here to boost his London bid, falling to Ivan Ljubicic, 64 76(6). I flicked over from time to time and saw some truly horrible tennis from Verdasco, and some truly classic tantrums.

But at least Verdasco’s better half had a good day, putting out compatriot and sixteenth seed David Ferrer, while La Monf survived his own bizarre tactics and lack of attention span to beat Hewitt 62 in the third.

Marat Safin went out to Tomas Berdych and then bitched about it, and a blockbuster match-up was set between Robin Soderling and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Both guys are hoping to nab a London spot. Should be big fun.

And the fun keeps on leaving. Del Potro was trailing Jurgen Melzer 57 12 (on serve) when he retired with a right wrist injury.

JMDP called for the trainer after getting broken in his first service game and had the wrist taped up, after which he broke back and stayed level until he shipped a couple of crucial points serving to take the set to a tiebreak. I saw him call for the trainer again during Melzer’s second service game, then Sky cut to a commercial break and by the time we were back he was gone. So there you have it. Quite the little ATP retirement community Shanghai is turning out to be.

I really hope the wrist isn’t too bad. He wasn’t playing well (understatement of the century) but I actually think that if he could have carried on he would have won in three, as he was staying very close to Melzer whose game had nowhere to go but down. If you ask me, he can’ t wait for the season to end, which is valid (if unfun for us as fans).